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little¡¡Nebraska¡¡village¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡communication£»¡¡worn¡¡and¡¡rubbed£»



looking¡¡as¡¡though¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡carried¡¡for¡¡some¡¡days¡¡in¡¡a¡¡coat



pocket¡¡that¡¡was¡¡none¡¡too¡¡clean£»¡¡was¡¡from¡¡my¡¡Uncle¡¡Howard¡¡and



informed¡¡me¡¡that¡¡his¡¡wife¡¡had¡¡been¡¡left¡¡a¡¡small¡¡legacy¡¡by¡¡a



bachelor¡¡relative¡¡who¡¡had¡¡recently¡¡died£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be



necessary¡¡for¡¡her¡¡to¡¡go¡¡to¡¡Boston¡¡to¡¡attend¡¡to¡¡the¡¡settling¡¡of



the¡¡estate¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡requested¡¡me¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡her¡¡at¡¡the¡¡station¡¡and



render¡¡her¡¡whatever¡¡services¡¡might¡¡be¡¡necessary¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡examining



the¡¡date¡¡indicated¡¡as¡¡that¡¡of¡¡her¡¡arrival¡¡I¡¡found¡¡it¡¡no¡¡later



than¡¡tomorrow¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡characteristically¡¡delayed¡¡writing¡¡until£»



had¡¡I¡¡been¡¡away¡¡from¡¡home¡¡for¡¡a¡¡day£»¡¡I¡¡must¡¡have¡¡missed¡¡the¡¡good



woman¡¡altogether¡£







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figure£»¡¡at¡¡once¡¡pathetic¡¡and¡¡grotesque£»¡¡but¡¡opened¡¡before¡¡my¡¡feet



a¡¡gulf¡¡of¡¡recollection¡¡so¡¡wide¡¡and¡¡deep¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡letter



dropped¡¡from¡¡my¡¡hand£»¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡suddenly¡¡a¡¡stranger¡¡to¡¡all¡¡the



present¡¡conditions¡¡of¡¡my¡¡existence£»¡¡wholly¡¡ill¡¡at¡¡ease¡¡and¡¡out¡¡of



place¡¡amid¡¡the¡¡familiar¡¡surroundings¡¡of¡¡my¡¡study¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡became£»¡¡in



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chilblains¡¡and¡¡bashfulness£»¡¡my¡¡hands¡¡cracked¡¡and¡¡sore¡¡from¡¡the



corn¡¡husking¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡the¡¡knuckles¡¡of¡¡my¡¡thumb¡¡tentatively£»¡¡as



though¡¡they¡¡were¡¡raw¡¡again¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡sat¡¡again¡¡before¡¡her¡¡parlor¡¡organ£»



fumbling¡¡the¡¡scales¡¡with¡¡my¡¡stiff£»¡¡red¡¡hands£»¡¡while¡¡she£»¡¡beside



me£»¡¡made¡¡canvas¡¡mittens¡¡for¡¡the¡¡huskers¡£







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set¡¡out¡¡for¡¡the¡¡station¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡the¡¡train¡¡arrived¡¡I¡¡had¡¡some



difficulty¡¡in¡¡finding¡¡my¡¡aunt¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡the¡¡last¡¡of



the¡¡passengers¡¡to¡¡alight£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡until¡¡I¡¡got¡¡her¡¡into¡¡the



carriage¡¡that¡¡she¡¡seemed¡¡really¡¡to¡¡recognize¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡had¡¡come



all¡¡the¡¡way¡¡in¡¡a¡¡day¡¡coach£»¡¡her¡¡linen¡¡duster¡¡had¡¡become¡¡black



with¡¡soot£»¡¡and¡¡her¡¡black¡¡bonnet¡¡gray¡¡with¡¡dust£»¡¡during¡¡the



journey¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡we¡¡arrived¡¡at¡¡my¡¡boardinghouse¡¡the¡¡landlady¡¡put



her¡¡to¡¡bed¡¡at¡¡once¡¡and¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡see¡¡her¡¡again¡¡until¡¡the¡¡next



morning¡£







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appearance¡¡she¡¡considerately¡¡concealed¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡for¡¡myself£»¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡my



aunt's¡¡misshapen¡¡figure¡¡with¡¡that¡¡feeling¡¡of¡¡awe¡¡and¡¡respect¡¡with



which¡¡we¡¡behold¡¡explorers¡¡who¡¡have¡¡left¡¡their¡¡ears¡¡and¡¡fingers



north¡¡of¡¡Franz¡¡Josef¡¡Land£»¡¡or¡¡their¡¡health¡¡somewhere¡¡along¡¡the



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Boston¡¡Conservatory£»¡¡somewhere¡¡back¡¡in¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡sixties¡£¡¡¡¡One



summer£»¡¡while¡¡visiting¡¡in¡¡the¡¡little¡¡village¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Green



Mountains¡¡where¡¡her¡¡ancestors¡¡had¡¡dwelt¡¡for¡¡generations£»¡¡she¡¡had



kindled¡¡the¡¡callow¡¡fancy¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡idle¡¡and¡¡shiftless¡¡of¡¡all



the¡¡village¡¡lads£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡conceived¡¡for¡¡this¡¡Howard¡¡Carpenter¡¡one



of¡¡those¡¡extravagant¡¡passions¡¡which¡¡a¡¡handsome¡¡country¡¡boy¡¡of



twenty¡­one¡¡sometimes¡¡inspires¡¡in¡¡an¡¡angular£»¡¡spectacled¡¡woman¡¡of



thirty¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡she¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡her¡¡duties¡¡in¡¡Boston£»¡¡Howard



followed¡¡her£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡upshot¡¡of¡¡this¡¡inexplicable¡¡infatuation¡¡was



that¡¡she¡¡eloped¡¡with¡¡him£»¡¡eluding¡¡the¡¡reproaches¡¡of¡¡her¡¡family



and¡¡the¡¡criticisms¡¡of¡¡her¡¡friends¡¡by¡¡going¡¡with¡¡him¡¡to¡¡the



Nebraska¡¡frontier¡£¡¡¡¡Carpenter£»¡¡who£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡had¡¡no¡¡money£»¡¡had



taken¡¡a¡¡homestead¡¡in¡¡Red¡¡Willow¡¡County£»¡¡fifty¡¡miles¡¡from¡¡the



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themselves¡¡by¡¡driving¡¡across¡¡the¡¡prairie¡¡in¡¡a¡¡wagon£»¡¡to¡¡the¡¡wheel



of¡¡which¡¡they¡¡had¡¡tied¡¡a¡¡red¡¡cotton¡¡handkerchief£»¡¡and¡¡counting



off¡¡its¡¡revolutions¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡built¡¡a¡¡dugout¡¡in¡¡the¡¡red¡¡hillside£»



one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡cave¡¡dwellings¡¡whose¡¡inmates¡¡so¡¡often¡¡reverted¡¡to



primitive¡¡conditions¡£¡¡¡¡Their¡¡water¡¡they¡¡got¡¡from¡¡the¡¡lagoons



where¡¡the¡¡buffalo¡¡drank£»¡¡and¡¡their¡¡slender¡¡stock¡¡of¡¡provisions



was¡¡always¡¡at¡¡the¡¡mercy¡¡of¡¡bands¡¡of¡¡roving¡¡Indians¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡thirty



years¡¡my¡¡aunt¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡further¡¡than¡¡fifty¡¡miles¡¡from¡¡the



homestead¡£







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been¡¡considerably¡¡shocked¡¡at¡¡what¡¡was¡¡left¡¡of¡¡my¡¡kinswoman¡£¡¡



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whose¡¡ornamentation¡¡showed¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡surrendered¡¡herself



unquestioningly¡¡into¡¡the¡¡hands¡¡of¡¡a¡¡country¡¡dressmaker¡£¡¡¡¡My¡¡poor



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difficulties¡¡to¡¡any¡¡dressmaker¡£¡¡¡¡Originally¡¡stooped£»¡¡her¡¡shoulders



were¡¡now¡¡almost¡¡bent¡¡together¡¡over¡¡her¡¡sunken¡¡chest¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡wore¡¡no



stays£»¡¡and¡¡her¡¡gown£»¡¡which¡¡trailed¡¡unevenly¡¡behind£»¡¡rose¡¡in¡¡a¡¡sort



of¡¡peak¡¡over¡¡her¡¡abdomen¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡wore¡¡ill¡­fitting¡¡false¡¡teeth£»¡¡and



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a¡¡pitiless¡¡wind¡¡and¡¡to¡¡the¡¡alkaline¡¡water¡¡which¡¡hardens¡¡the¡¡most



transparent¡¡cuticle¡¡into¡¡a¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡flexible¡¡leather¡£







I¡¡owed¡¡to¡¡this¡¡woman¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡good¡¡that¡¡ever¡¡came¡¡my¡¡way



in¡¡my¡¡boyhood£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡a¡¡reverential¡¡affection¡¡for¡¡her¡£¡¡¡¡During



the¡¡years¡¡when¡¡I¡¡was¡¡riding¡¡herd¡¡for¡¡my¡¡uncle£»¡¡my¡¡aunt£»¡¡after



cooking¡¡the¡¡three¡¡mealsthe¡¡first¡¡of¡¡which¡¡was¡¡ready¡¡at¡¡six



o'clock¡¡in¡¡the¡¡morning¡­and¡¡putting¡¡the¡¡six¡¡children¡¡to¡¡bed£»¡¡would



often¡¡stand¡¡until¡¡midnight¡¡at¡¡her¡¡ironing¡¡board£»¡¡with¡¡me¡¡at¡¡the



kitchen¡¡table¡¡beside¡¡her£»¡¡hearing¡¡me¡¡recite¡¡Latin¡¡declensions¡¡and



conjugations£»¡¡gently¡¡shaking¡¡me¡¡when¡¡my¡¡drowsy¡¡head¡¡sank¡¡down



over¡¡a¡¡page¡¡of¡¡irregular¡¡verbs¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡to¡¡her£»¡¡at¡¡her¡¡ironing¡¡or



mending£»¡¡that¡¡I¡¡read¡¡my¡¡first¡¡Shakespeare'£»¡¡and¡¡her¡¡old¡¡textbook



on¡¡mythology¡¡was¡¡the¡¡first¡¡that¡¡ever¡¡came¡¡into¡¡my¡¡empty¡¡hands¡£¡¡



She¡¡taught¡¡me¡¡my¡¡scales¡¡and¡¡exercises£»¡¡tooon¡¡the¡¡little¡¡parlor



organ£»¡¡which¡¡her¡¡husband¡¡had¡¡bought¡¡her¡¡after¡¡fifteen¡¡years£»



during¡¡which¡¡she¡¡had¡¡not¡¡so¡¡much¡¡as¡¡seen¡¡any¡¡instrument£»¡¡but¡¡an



accordion¡¡that¡¡belonged¡¡to¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Norwegian¡¡farmhands¡£¡¡¡¡She



would¡¡sit¡¡beside¡¡me¡¡by¡¡the¡¡hour£»¡¡darning¡¡and¡¡counting¡¡while¡¡I



struggled¡¡with¡¡the¡¡¡¨Joyous¡¡Farmer£»¡¨¡¡but¡¡she¡¡seldom¡¡talked¡¡to¡¡me



about¡¡music£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡understood¡¡why¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡a¡¡pious¡¡woman£»¡¡she



had¡¡the¡¡consolations¡¡of¡¡religion¡¡and£»¡¡to¡¡her¡¡at¡¡least£»¡¡her



martyrdom¡¡was¡¡not¡¡wholly¡¡sordid¡£¡¡¡¡Once¡¡when¡¡I¡¡had¡¡been¡¡doggedly



beating¡¡out¡¡some¡¡easy¡¡passages¡¡from¡¡an¡¡old¡¡score¡¡of



Euryanthe¡¡I¡¡had¡¡found¡¡among¡¡her¡¡music¡¡books£»¡¡she¡¡came¡¡up¡¡to



me¡¡and£»¡¡putting¡¡her¡¡hands¡¡over¡¡my¡¡eyes£»¡¡gently¡¡drew¡¡my¡¡head¡¡back



upon¡¡her¡¡shoulder£»¡¡saying¡¡tremulously£»¡¡¡¨Don't¡¡love¡¡it¡¡so¡¡well£»



Clark£»¡¡or¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡taken¡¡from¡¡you¡£¡¡¡¡Oh£»¡¡dear¡¡boy£»¡¡pray¡¡that



whatever¡¡your¡¡sacrifice¡¡may¡¡be£»¡¡it¡¡be¡¡not¡¡that¡£¡¨







When¡¡my¡¡aunt¡¡appeared¡¡on¡¡the¡¡morning¡¡after¡¡her¡¡arrival¡¡she



was¡¡still¡¡in¡¡a¡¡semi¡­somnambulant¡¡state¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡seemed¡¡not¡¡to¡¡realize



that¡¡she¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡city¡¡where¡¡she¡¡had¡¡spent¡¡her¡¡youth£»¡¡the¡¡place



longed¡¡for¡¡hungrily¡¡half¡¡a¡¡lifetime¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡had¡¡been¡¡so¡¡wretchedly



train¡­sick¡¡throughout¡¡the¡¡journey¡¡that¡¡she¡¡bad¡¡no¡¡recollection¡¡of



anything¡¡but¡¡her¡¡discomfort£»¡¡and£»¡¡to¡¡all¡¡intents¡¡and¡¡purposes£»



there¡¡were¡¡but¡¡a¡¡few¡¡hours¡¡of¡¡nightmare¡¡between¡¡the¡¡farm¡¡in¡¡Red



Willow¡¡County¡¡and¡¡my¡¡study¡¡on¡¡Newbury¡¡Street¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡had¡¡planned¡¡a



little¡¡pleasure¡¡for¡¡her¡¡that¡¡afternoon£»¡¡to¡¡repay¡¡her¡¡for¡¡some¡¡of



the¡¡glorious¡¡moments¡¡she¡¡had¡¡given¡¡me¡¡when¡¡we¡¡used¡¡to¡¡milk



together¡¡in¡¡the¡¡straw¡­thatched¡¡cowshed¡¡and¡¡she£»¡¡because¡¡I¡¡was



more¡¡than¡¡usually¡¡tired£»¡¡or¡¡because¡¡her¡¡husband¡¡had¡¡spoken



sharply¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡would¡¡tell¡¡me¡¡of¡¡the¡¡splendid¡¡performance¡¡of¡¡the



Huguenots¡¡she¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡in¡¡Paris£»¡¡in¡¡her¡¡youth¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡two



o'clock¡¡the¡¡Symphony¡¡Orchestra¡¡was¡¡to¡¡give¡¡a¡¡Wagner¡¡program£»¡¡and¡¡I



intended¡¡to¡¡take¡¡my¡¡aunt£»¡¡though£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡conversed¡¡with¡¡her¡¡I¡¡grew



doubtful¡¡about¡¡her¡¡enjoyment¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡Indeed£»¡¡for¡¡her¡¡own¡¡sake£»¡¡I



could¡¡only¡¡wish¡¡her¡¡taste¡¡for¡¡such¡¡things¡¡quite¡¡dead£»¡¡and¡¡the



long¡¡struggle¡¡mercifully¡¡ended¡¡at¡¡last¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡suggested¡¡our¡¡visiting



the¡¡Conservatory¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Common¡¡before¡¡lunch£»¡¡but¡¡she¡¡seemed



altogether¡¡too¡¡timid¡¡to¡¡wish¡¡to¡¡venture¡¡out¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡questioned¡¡me



absently¡¡about¡¡various¡¡changes¡¡in¡¡the¡¡city£»¡¡but¡¡she¡¡was¡¡chiefly



concerned¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡forgotten¡¡to¡¡leave¡¡instructions¡¡about



feeding¡¡half¡­skimmed¡¡milk¡¡to¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡weakling¡¡calf£»¡¡¡¨old



Maggie's¡¡calf£»¡¡you¡¡know£»¡¡Clark£»¡¨¡¡she¡¡explained£»¡¡evidently¡¡having



forgotten¡¡how¡¡long¡¡I¡¡had¡¡been¡¡away¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡further¡¡troubled



because¡¡she¡¡had¡¡neglected¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡her¡¡daughter¡¡about¡¡the¡¡freshly



opened¡¡kit¡¡of¡¡mackerel¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cellar£»¡¡which¡¡would¡¡spoil¡¡if¡¡it



were¡¡not¡¡used¡¡directly¡£







I¡¡asked¡¡her¡¡whether¡¡she¡¡had¡¡ever¡¡heard¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Wagnerian



operas¡¡and¡¡found¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡not£»¡¡

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